Braiding machine carrier



July 18, 1939. c. s BARNIN GHAM 2,166,336

BRAIDING MACHINE CARRIER Filed Nov. 5, 1938 [kyl 38 F- 5 8 I ll 1 )9:

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H I 9 n 1 42' I 2 4 I ga 20 (26543555 5. BARNZNGHA/I 22 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAIDING MACHINE CARRIER Application November 3, 1938, Serial No. 238,517

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a braiding machine carrier and more particularly to an improved strand carrier release and locking means therefor. v

One object of the invention is the provision of an improved structure of this character compris-' ing a tension weight and means carried thereby acting directly to actuate a strand carrier release and locking means. A further object of the invention is the provision of a let-off mechanism actuated directly by movement of the tension weight through a ratchet wheel carried by or non-rotatably connected with a strand carrier member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel ratchet wheel or member provided with circumferentially curved or inclined radial ratchet teeth engageable by a vertically movable weight carried pawl to provide a strand carrier release and locking means effective at a point adjacent to the base of the strand carrier member.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a spring tension weight member provided with a pawl co-operating directly with a ratchet member to alternately lock and release the strand carrier.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a vertically reciprocating weight supported i pawl co-operating with a strand carrier ratchet member for effecting the locking and release of said strand carrier member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various improved details of construction :13 and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the strand car- 45) rier, showing the strand carrier member with a spool mounted thereon and illustrating the path of travel of the strand from the spool to the thread delivery eye,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the ap- 4 :"1 paratus shown in Fig. 1, taken substantially along the line of 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 2 taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

to Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a cop holder adapted for use in connection with the carrier member; and,

Fig. 5 isa detail sectional view, taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herewith, l designates the base of the carrier member which seats upon and rides over the top plate of the braiding machine for travel thereon along a predetermined path under the influence of any suitable form of driving mechanism (not 5 shown), the oscillatory movement of the carrier being controlled by guide means 2 and 3 which may be formed integral with the base after a maner well-known in the art. The base I may be formed as a single casting and carries a spindle 4 for supporting rotatably a spool 5 or cop carrier 5, each of which has its axis of rotation substantially coincident with the axis of the spindle 4. The spool 5 may be provided with ends I and 8 of the usual character.

A spool supporting ratchet wheel or plate 9 may be provided which may be separate from the spool 5 and rotatably mounted on the spindle 4. The ratchet wheel or plate 9 may be provided with pins In or the like engaging recesses in the spool end I to retain the spool and plate from rotation relative to each other, or the plate 9 may be permanently attached to or formed as a part of the spool end i. The plate 9 is provided with teeth l2 spaced from each other and extending outwardly 9.5 radially therefrom to form a ratchet member. The teeth 12 are preferably each rounded or inclined upon one side thereof downwardly from the top towards the bottom face thereof, as indicated at 15, for engagement by a pawl which will be more fully described hereinafter.

A vertically positioned frame member l6 may be formed integral with or secured to the base I from which it extends upwardly in substantially parallel spaced relation with the spindle 4. The frame member I6 is provided with oppositely positioned transverse arms I"! extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof to provide, with the base I, supports for a pair of spaced guide members l9 and 20 located in substantial parallelism and serving as guides for a movable weight member 30.

Each transverse arm ll may be provided with an opening 22 located in opposed relation with a threaded opening 24 formed in the base I for the reception of one of the spaced guide members. Each guide member may comprise an enlarged portion 25 and a reduced portion 26, the free end of which is adapted to be threaded within the opening 24 formed in the base plate. The enlarged portion 25 of each guide member forms with the reduced portion 26 an external shoulder 2'! which is engageable with one end of a coiled spring 28 positioned within a sleeve 29 carried by or forming a part of the weight tension member 30. The opposite end of the coiled spring 28 may seat against an internal shoulder 32 carried by or forming a part of the sleeve member 29, whereby tension of the springs 28 is effective to urge the weight tension member 30 towards the base I.

The frame member I6 is provided with a. strand guide opening 34, which may be located at a suitable point intermediate the base I and the upper free end of the frame member for directing the strand 35 outwardly from the spool towards that portion of the weight tension member carried by the guides I9 and 20. A strand groove 36 may be formed in that face of the frame member which is located outwardly from the spool 5 to extend downwardly of the frame member from the guide opening 34 towards a strand guide member 3! carried by the weight tension member 36 and preferably located substantially midway between the guide members I9 and 20.

The frame member It may extend a substantial distance above the transverse arms I! and be provided adjacent to the upper free end thereof with a strand delivery eye 38 to which the strand 35 passes from the guide member 31 for delivery to the formed material. A shallow groove 40 may also be formed in the outer face of the frame member I6 adjacent to the strand delivery eye 38 to prevent excessive wear of the strand by contact with the surface of the frame member during its travel to the strand delivery eye.

A pawl member 42 is carried by the weight tension member 30 for vertical movement therewith and is provided with an inclined end portion 43 movable within the path of travel of the radial teeth I2 carried by the plate 9 and engageable therewith to alternately release and lock the ratchet wheel or plate 9 upon movement of the tension weight member upwardly or downwardly through operation of the pull applied to the tension weight member from the strand 35 as it is supplied to the material being formed from the spool 5.

A post 45 may be carried by the base I and located substantially parallel with the spindle 4 for supporting a spring pressed equalizing mernber 46 in position to engage the strand material wound upon the spool and exert a retarding action thereon effective during the intervals when the pawl 42 is raised out of engagement with the teeth I2 of the ratchet wheel or plate 9. One or more tension springs 41 may be coiled about the post 45 for pressing the equalizing member 46 into frictional engagement with the strand material on the spool. The end of the tension spring 41 may be anchored to the post 45, or to the base I as may be desired.

Preferably the parts are so shaped as to provide adequate clearance between the lower vertical portion of the frame member I6 and the tension weight member 30, whereby the tension weight member is maintained entirely out of contact with the frame member during its vertical movement in order to prevent excessive friction and insure the operation of the tension weight member with certainty and provide a lock for the strand carrier when tension upon the strand is reduced following an upward movement of the tension weight member so as to insure a quick engagement of the pawl with the ratchet teeth I2 and prevent undue loss of tension in the strand being delivered to the material.

The thread, cord, yarn or strand employed may be of any desired character or composition adaptor the like, or wire, or threads, cords, or strands formed in whole or in part of other than what are commonly regarded as textile materials. In any case, the term strand as used herein is intended to designate and include any form of thread, or the like, whether in the form of a single filament or a braided or twisted aggregation of filaments formed of any material or combination of materials suitable for the purpose.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing there is shown a cop carrier 6 which may be substituted for the spool 5 and ratchet wheel 9 when desired for use in braiding from a cop of the usual construction. The cop carrier 6 may comprise a tubular stem 50 adapted to fit over the spindle 4 and having longitudinally extending exterior ribs 5| for engagement with the inner surface of a cop. A base 52 is adapted to rest upon the base I of the carrier and is of circular form provided with a plurality of radially extending teeth 53, each of which may be provided with a curved or inclined side face 54 for engagement by the pawl 42 to alternately lock and release the cop carrier 6 as the strand carried thereby is drawn into the material being formed.

In the operation of the structure shown, a spool 5 or cop carrier 6 carrying a cop wound with strand material of the character desired for use is placed on the spindle 4 to be held in place by the spring latch 55, and the strand material end is passed through the guide opening 34 downwardly and over the strand guide member 31, then upwardly, through the strand delivery eye 38, for incorporation into the material to be formed. In removing or replacing a spool or cop carrier the equalizing member 46 is turned outwardly away from the spindle 4 to permit free movement of the spool or cop carrier without interference thereby. Release of the equalizing member after placing a fresh spool or cop carrier on the spindle allows the equalizing member to engage the strand material carried thereby and serve as a retarding influence to equalize the movement of the strand from the spool or carrier and overcome variations due to the quantity of strand material on the spool or carrier.

Operation of the braider draws strand material from the spool 5 or carrier 6, held against rotation by the pawl 42 engaging with the teeth I2 or 53 of the plate 9 or carrier 6, until such time as the weight tension member 30 is drawn upwardly against the force exerted by the springs 28 through increase in tension applied to the strand. When the applied tension increases beyond a predetermined point, as may be regulated by the weight of the weight tension member 30 or the strength of the springs 28, or both, the pawl 42 is drawn upwardly out of engagement with the teeth I2 or 53. On movement of the pawl 42 out of engagement with the teeth. tension on the strand is immediately relaxed and the weight tension member 30 is forced downwardly, due to its weight and the force exerted by the springs 28. This returns the pawl 42 into engagement with the next or an adjacent tooth to lock the spool or cop carrier against rotation until tension has again increased to a point sufficient to effect a temporary release by raising the pawl 42 out of engagement with the teeth. This operation is repeated during progress of the braiding to maintain a substantially uniform tension upon the strand material as it passes from the spool or carrier through the delivery eye for incorporation in the material being ed for the purpose, such as textile threads, cords formed.

Preferably, the weight tension member 30 is slidably supported by the spaced guide members I!) and 20, and may be out of direct contact with the vertical frame member l6. By the provision of spaced guide means for the tension member frictional resistance to the movement of the tension member 30 is greatly diminished as well as the liability of abrasion or injury to the strand material as it comes from the carrier.

The spring pressure constantly exerted upon the weight tension member by the springs 28 tends to overcome any tendency on the part of the weight member 3|] towards tilting so as to cause binding action or undue frictional resist ance to its free movement either with respect to the frame member IE or the guide members I!) and 20. The use of one or more spring members engageable with the weight tension member for assisting in urging the same downwardly into its lowermost position is therefore regarded as an important element of the present construction, as well as the provision of such arrangement and construction of the parts as will tend to reduce frictional resistance to the free vertical movement of the weight member and eliminate binding of the same.

In the present construction the ratchet member for controlling the operation of the spool or carrier is located at the base of the spindle and adjacent to the base I of the carrier where its action, as alternately engaged and released by the pawl 42, offers the least liability of bending or displacing the spindle or other portion of the mechanism out of their normal operating position. The manner of mounting the pawl 42 directly on the weight tension member also provides a support for the pawl 42 which insures against its distortion or displacement in the operation of the mechanism. At the same time, this combination and arrangement of the parts provides a greatly simplified construction in which the number of movable elements is re duced to a minimum and so arranged as to avoid the use of spring pressed pawls or pivoted connections, as employed heretofore in release mechanisms of this character, such as are liable to breakage or injury in the operation of the braider mechanism.

The arms I! carrying the guide members l9 and 20 serve as stops for the weight tension member 39 to limit positively its upward movement on the guide members, whereby the range of movement of the weight tension member is limited to such an extent as to exceed but slightly the extent of travel necessary for the pawl 42 to clear the ratchet teeth i2, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 5, showing the relative location of the pawl and ratchet members in the lowermost position of the Weight tension member.

By limiting the path of travel of the weight tension member and providing spring means exerting pressure downwardly on the weight tension member, quick return of the pawl into engagement with a ratchet tooth after its release from a preceding tooth is assured, so as to prevent unwinding of the thread from the carrier to such an extent as to interrupt the constant tension which it is desirable to exert upon the thread.

What I claim is:

In a direct acting base tension release locking means for vertical strand carriers, a vertical spindle member, a strand carrier member rotatably mounted on said spindle member and provided with a ratchet member non-rotatably secured to the base thereof having ratchet teeth projecting outwardly radially of the ratchet member, a strand engaging weight tension. member provided with a pawl mounted for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet member, said weight tension member being movable in substantial parallelism with said spindle, guide means for said weight tension member having spring means engaging said weight tension memher for constantly urging the same downwardly to bring the pawl into engagement with said ratchet teeth, and stop means associated with guide means for limiting the upward movement of said Weight tension member and acting in conjunction with said spring means to insure quick reengagement of said pawl with a succeeding ratchet tooth after its disengagement from a preceding tooth.

CHARLES S. BARNINGHAM. 

